Alabama

South Alabama falls to Tennessee Tech, 14-13

Ineffective pitching and mental breakdowns led to Tennessee Tech's 14-13 win over South Alabama Wednesday at Stanky Field.

USA used eight pitchers but only three had success against the Golden Eagles, who produced 20 hits, seven for extra-bases, in a mid-week contest that lasted nearly four hours.

"We had to save some arms for Arkansas-Little Rock this weekend, but still you have to give Tennessee Tech credit," said Jaguars coach Steve Kittrell. "They hit the ball really well. "We just didn't play very well. This is two days in a row we haven't played smart baseball. We've got some talent. We're not playing a very smart game at times and it's costing us. We're not making some plays that we normally make in practice."

Jake Overstreet had four hits -- including a three-run homer -- and six RBIs for USA (9-6), which had some mental lapses in the field on bunt coverage and had a baserunning blunder in one inning. But its biggest problem was on the mound -- the Golden Eagles (5-7) scored in every inning except the fourth and drew five walks.

Starting and losing pitcher Chris LaGrow allowed six runs, all earned, on five hits in just one inning. Four of South Alabama's seven relief pitchers gave up at least one run.

"We're constantly playing from behind, but there's no excuse to do a few of the things we did," said Kittrell.

The Jaguars trailed 7-1 after two innings and were down 8-3 after the fourth. South Alabama closed the deficit to 9-6 in the fifth inning on Overstreet's three-run homer to left, but couldn't keep Tech from scoring.

The Golden Eagles added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh for a 12-6 edge. USA responded with four runs in the seventh on a two-run single from Zach Grichor and Overstreet's two-run double to make it 12-10. But Tennessee Tech added single runs in the eighth and ninth.

South Alabama scored a run in the eighth and two in the ninth, and had the tying and winning runs on base when Taylor White grounded to first for the final out.

"One run was the difference and we left the bases loaded twice," Kittrell said. "It's a disappointing loss."

South Alabama finished with 13 hits. Grichor also had four hits and two RBIs.

Tennessee Tech's Chad Oberacker had three hits and three RBIs and Zephan Guyear added two hits and four RBIs.